Under a torrent of criticism, Black dug in his heels in a Monday evening Facebook post:

To everyone who was offended that I said that the POTUS should be hanged for treason, this is the man who droned Al-Awaki on “suspicion of terrorism”–not proof–and later killed his 15-year-old son for nothing more than being his son.

This is also the man who sought to have Bradley Manning and Eric Snowden executed for treason when they didn’t kill anyone, nor does the US government pretend to believe that they cost any spies their lives.

This would be exactly what the President has done to others, and, as Jesus said, “the measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you again.” I make no apologies for saying that the President is not above the People. If ordinary Americans should be executed for treason, so should he.

So, don’t stop at impeachment. Remove him. Try him before a jury (the very right that he arbitrarily denied to al-Awaki and his 15-year-old son), and, upon his sure convictions, execute him. Thus has he done, thus it should be done to him.

Still, Black stood by his comments, but also insisted that he was “not threatening the president.”

“I believe that if you are a murderer, you should face the death penalty. I believe that if you are a traitor to the United States and causes [sic] the deaths of other Americans, you should face the death penalty,” he said.

“I’m saying the president should face the same thing George Zimmerman had to face when he killed somebody else’s teenager,” Black said. “He had to face a trial where people had to determine if he was guilty or not guilty of murder, and he had to face the consequences.”

“I believe that everyone, no matter what position they hold … should have to face justice,” he said.

Several Republicans have called on Black to drop out of the race. Susan Hepworth, the communications director for the Florida Republican Party told the Huffington Post that his comments were “deplorable, it’s despicable, and it has no place in public discourse. He should probably just go ahead and bow out of the race.”

Florida Gov. Rick Scott called the comments “outrageous,” in a tweet, and added: “Floridians expect more from our leaders & he should immediately withdraw his candidacy to represent families of Pinellas County.”

Joshua Black’s comments on President @BarackObama are outrageous. (1/2)